High efficiency portable power plant

ABSTRACT

A high efficiency and high output electrical generator sized to match the electrical demands of generating power for lighting and operation of large amperage electrical machinery including an improved gear belt drive designed to allow the a diesel engine to run at a lower rpm, resulting in optimal fuel conservation benefit and longer run time on a tank of fuel, the engine, generator and motor mounts form a uniquely unitized mounting system employing a modular bell housing and generator adaptor plate supporting the engine, gears, belt drive and generator components.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Applicants claim the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/122,412, filed by the same inventors on Oct. 20, 2014.

I. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

A high efficiency and high output electrical generator sized to match the electrical demands of generating power for lighting and operation of large amperage electrical machinery including an improved gear belt drive designed to allow the a diesel engine to run at a lower rpm, resulting in optimal fuel conservation benefit and longer run time on a tank of fuel, the engine, generator and motor mounts form a uniquely unitized mounting system employing a modular bell housing and generator adaptor plate supporting the engine, gears, belt drive and generator components.

2. Description of Prior Art

A preliminary review of prior art patents was conducted by the applicant which reveal prior art patents in a similar field or having similar use. However, the prior art inventions do not disclose the same or similar elements as the present high efficiency portable power plant, nor do they present the material components in a manner contemplated or anticipated in the prior art.

In U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2012/0318589 to Staley, a tensioning assembly for an engine having a motor generating unit discloses a pair of tensioning arms and a variety of pulleys to operate various components, the primary purpose of this application dealing with BAS power train systems for hybrid vehicles, specifically dealing with belt tension uniformity and integrity. Another belt drive assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,989 to Bogner, discloses a tensioner having two tensioner arms applying pressure on a belt between a first pulley on the crankshaft of an engine and a second pulley on the shaft of a starter generator, the two tensioner arms pivoting about a rotational axis, with tensioning rollers mounted on the tensioning arms and spring-biased against the belt in order to aid in a stop position by forces applied by the belt. A tensioning or biasing unit applied to a belt drive system on an engine involving a generator on an engine progressively decreases an urging force on the belt engaging unit as the speed vary along the belt drive pathway. Other tensioning systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,124,733 to Kusumi, U.S. Pat. No. 8,727,944 to Noboru, U.S. Pat. No. 6,830,524 to Tamai, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,719 to Cancilla.

Several power generating plants are shown which include components intended to address various functional issues regarding each power plant. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,567,354 to Kealy, a radial engine is featured to provide a more compact profile to the portable power generator. Raasch discloses a generator set in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,512,203 and 8,267,835, which feature a lower belt drive system on its portable generator unit driving the belt on a horizontal plane which features a variable speed transmission and intended to run at engine speeds as low as 200 rpm. A diesel powered generating product is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,485,977 to Annen, demonstrating a single piston miniature two cycle engine capable of generating between 500 W and 2 KW of electrical energy. A planetary gear configuration controlling a variable speed generating system in an automobile is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,082 to Kaneyuki which deals with variably changing the ratio of the of the rotational speed of an input shaft to the rotational speed of a drive pulley.

II. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present portable power plant gains its high efficiency from the combination of improvements within the art to accomplish the objective of increasing efficiency of the power plant, reducing temperature control issues within the engine making for an improved generator for hot or cold climates and inclement weather, low fuel use to enhance running time and consume smaller fuel amounts, to reduce vibrational forces placed upon the power plant components, and an improved belt drive between a single drive pulley and generator pulley which vary in ratio to reduce engine rotational speeds and increase generator rotational speed while producing a large electrical output to operate welding equipment, light towers, and other large electrical consumption machinery. Below is a summary of each area of improvement in the present power plant.

Engine and Power Plant

The preferable engine used in the improved high efficiency light tower is a four stroke 0.7 liter, 3 cylinder diesel engine having a compact and light-weight profile, represented in FIGS. 2A-2E of the drawings. This engine should meet the requirements for off-highway emissions legislation for Stage IIIB (EU), Tier 4 Interim (US) and MLIT Step 4 (Japan). This engine is selected due to its lowered noise levels, extended service intervals and its power output. It is also preferable that the engine be operable on any commercially available diesel and/or most biodiesel fuel blend. Fuel efficiency is optimally 0.24±0.05 gallons/hour with a run time on a full tank of 52 gallons of fuel at approximately 216 hours.

Electrical Generator and Power Output

The generator utilized in the high efficiency light tower is preferably a brushless 4000-6000 watt two bearing generator with a capacitor, copper windings and providing bi-directional rotation. The shaft speed should operate at up to 3600 rpm to maintain 60 Hz, and should be directly mounted to the flywheel cover/bell housing mounting plate mounted solidly to the engine to maintain engine/generator pulley alignment.

Belt Drive and Pulley Assembly

The belt drive and pulley assembly provide the high efficiency light tower with the assembly defining a generator and generator mounted pulley engine and engine flywheel pulley solidly held in relation to each other on a common plane, along with a tensioner pulley and an idler pulley attached to the same plate to keep the drive belt turning on a fixed and aligned common rotational plane. The belt provides a wide profile with an inner surface forming a plurality of longitudinal extension ridges and channel grooves and having a smooth outer surface.

The tensioner pulley is a smooth surface rotational pulley which applies a force to the belt to perpetually adjust the tension to maintain the belt on the other pulleys. The idler pulley is also a smooth surface pulley providing the belt with a fixed axis over which to rotate. The flywheel pulley is directly attached to the drive shaft of the engine. The flywheel pulley is optimally an eight inch diameter pulley having an inner and outer raised outer margin belt keeper along with a pulley surface having a plurality of upward extending ridges. The generator pulley mounted to the shaft of the generator, is preferably a 3 inch diameter pulley, also forming an inner and outer raised outer margin belt keeper along with a pulley surface having a plurality of upward extending. The orientation and mounting of the four pulleys with the belt being applied as indicated in the drawing figure. With the flywheel pulley and generator pulley being of the preferable diameters, the engine can be efficiently operated at a lower speed and still turn the generator at a sufficient rpm to generate the minimal 1600 watts at 60 Hz of power required to operate the LED lights of the light tower and also provide a residual 2400 watts of power for available auxiliary use through supplemental standard power outlets.

Engine Coolant System

The engine coolant temperature is maintained by a thermostatically controlled radiator fan which allows the engine to reach operational temperature in less time than with a mechanical fan and also allows the engine to stay at the operational temperature even under a light or variable load. By staying at a constant temperature, better fuel efficiency is obtained due to a more complete burning of fuel with longer engine life being achieved due to engine cylinder wall decay and residue build-up from unburned fuel. In non-arctic environments, the engine driven OEM mechanical fan may be retained, which would not require the electronic coolant system.

III. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings are submitted with this utility patent application.

FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the power plant is use for a lighting tower.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the power plant exposing the belt drive pulley system.

FIG. 3 is a right side view of the power plant.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the power plant.

FIG. 5 is an isolation view of FIG. 4, enhancing the view of the belt drive pulley system.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the engine pulley.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the engine pulley belt drive surface.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the generator pulley.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the generator pulley belt drive surface.

IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A portable electrical generating power plant 10 producing electrical power for the operation of electrical equipment, as shown in FIGS. 1-9 of the drawings, provides a portable transport trailer 12 upon which is mounted a high efficiency diesel engine 20 having a compact and light weight profile and having a low noise output, extended servicing intervals and the ability to produce and high power output, operating on a diesel or bio-diesel fuel, a belt drive and pulley system 50 providing a wide belt 90 drive between a large engine pulley 60 and a smaller generator pulley 70 attached to an electrical generator 30, and a coolant system 40 to maintain a constant operational temperature regardless of the environmental temperature within which the power plant 10 is operated, wherein the engine 20 is operated at a lower rpm while maintaining a high rpm on the generator pulley 70, extending the operational time of the engine 20, producing minimal 1600 watts at 60 Hz of electrical supply for the operation of a primary electrical device and an additional 2400 watts of electrical auxiliary power supply to supplemental secondary electrical outlets 18.

The engine 20 is best provided in a four stroke, 0.7 liter, 3 cylinder diesel engine having a compact and light-weight profile, represented in FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings. This engine should meet the requirements for off-highway emissions legislation for Stage IIIB (EU), Tier 4 Interim (US) and MLIT Step 4 (Japan). Fuel efficiency is optimally 0.24±0.05 gallons/hour with a run time on a full tank of 52 gallons of fuel at approximately 216 hours. This is most ideally suited for remote location or for use in harsh environments where minimal service requirements are preferred or available. This provides the power plant 10 for suitable use as a source of electrical power for light towers 15, welding machinery, air compressors, or remote residential and commercial use where there is no alternative electrical power supply available and long term use is intended.

The belt drive and pulley system 50, FIGS. 2 and 4-9, provides the efficient drive mechanism between the generator 30 through a generator pulley 70 and an engine pulley 60 solidly held in relation to each other on a common housing mounting plate 55, with an additional tensioner and idler pulley 80 attached to the same plate 55 to keep the drive belt 90 turning on a fixed and aligned common rotational plane. The belt 90 defines a wide profile with an inner surface 92 forming a plurality of longitudinal extension ridges and channel grooves and having a smooth outer surface 98.

The tensioner and idler pulley 80 defines a smooth outer surface 82 which applies a force to the belt 90 to perpetually adjust the tension in order to maintain the belt 90 on the other pulleys. The engine pulley 60, FIGS. 6 and 7, is directly attached to the drive shaft of the engine 20, optimally defining an eight inch diameter pulley having an inner raised belt keeper 62 and an outer raised belt keeper 64 along with a pulley surface 66, FIG. 7, having a plurality of upward extending ridges 68. The generator pulley 70, FIGS. 8 and 9, mounted to the shaft of the generator 30, is preferably a 3 inch diameter pulley, also forming an inner raised belt keeper 72 and an outer raised belt keeper 74 along with a pulley surface 76 having a plurality of upward extending ridges 78, FIG. 9. The orientation and mounting of the three pulleys 60, 70, 80, with the belt 90 being aligned as indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5. The upward extending ridges 68, 78, of the engine and generator pulleys 60, 70, are mated with the inner surface of the belt 90 while the belt keepers 62, 64, 72, 74, maintain the belt on the pulleys 60, 70.

With the engine pulley 60 and generator pulley 70 being of the preferable diameters, the engine 20 can be efficiently operated at a lower speed and still turn the generator 30 at a sufficient rpm to generate the minimal 1600 watts at 60 Hz of power required to operate the primary electrical appliance and also provide a residual 1600 watts of power for available auxiliary use through supplemental standard power outlets 18. The engine 20 can also be adapted to maintain a constant power output with the generator pulley 70 being supplied in a different variety of outer diameters with the engine pulley 60 diameter remaining constant, resulting in the operator selecting the optimal engine speed for operation.

Generator Engine Pulley Engine Operation Speed (rpm) Pulley Diameter Diameter 1350 3″   8″ 1500 3.3″  8″ 1600 3.55″ 8″ 1700 3.77″ 8″ 1800 4″   8″ The user could specify the desired operation speed and select the OEM generator pulley 70 at the time of order or supply, with the manufacturer providing the selected diameter generator pulley 70 as chosen by the user.

The electrical generator 30 is preferably a brushless 4000-6000 watt two bearing generator with a capacitor, copper windings and providing bi-directional rotation. The shaft speed should operate at up to 3600 rpm to maintain 60 Hz, and should be directly mounted to the housing mounting plate 55 mounted solidly to the engine 20 to maintain engine pulley 60 and generator pulley 70 alignment.

By having the belt drive and pulley system 50 on a common housing mounting plate 55, vibrational forces are dampened, allowing the belt 90 to turn and rotate and high speed without lateral forces and with less overall frictional stress, thus prolonging the life of the belt 90, maintaining an improve constant tension on the belt for better contact with the respective pulleys 60, 70, 80, and reducing frictional heat applied to the belt which preserves the integrity of the belt components.

As the power plant 10 is adaptable to a variety of outdoor uses ranging from the hot and arid desert environment or a frigid arctic environment, the engine temperature may be maintained by an alternative engine cooling system 40, specifically suited for an intended environment, which would include a choice between a mechanical fan 42 or a thermostatically controlled fan 42. In a first alternative embodiment designed for arctic temperature use, the engine coolant temperature is maintained by a thermostatically controlled radiator fan 42 which allows the engine 20 to reach operational temperature in less time than with a mechanical fan 42 and also allows the engine 20 to stay at the operational temperature even under a light or variable load. By staying at a constant temperature, better fuel efficiency is obtained due to a more complete burning of fuel with longer engine life being achieved due to engine cylinder wall decay and residue build-up from unburned fuel. In non-arctic environments, the engine driven OEM mechanical fan 42 may be retained, which would not require the electronic coolant system. This mechanical fan 42 can be integrated within the belt drive and pulley system 50 or operated by a minimal amount of the overall electrical current generated by the power plant 10.

The power plant 10 would also require the use of other standard operational equipment associated with portable common power plants, including a fuel supply vessel either on or off the power plant, a starter and electrical battery for ignition, exhaust systems to relieve the combustion gasses from the engine, and the electrical wiring to conduct the generated electrical power either directly to the electrical equipment being operated or to at least one electrical outlet of a certain voltage and amperage to plug in at least one item of electrically operated equipment.

While the power plant 10 has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable electrical generating power plant producing electrical power for the operation of electrical equipment comprising: a portable transport trailer; a high efficiency diesel engine having a compact and light weight profile and having a low noise output, extended servicing intervals and the ability to produce and high power output, operating on a diesel or bio-diesel fuel; a belt drive and pulley system providing a wide belt supplied between a large engine pulley and a smaller generator pulley and constantly tightened by a tensioner pulley, said generator pulley further attached to an electrical generator; and a coolant system maintaining a constant operational temperature regardless of the environmental temperature within which the power plant is operated, wherein said engine is operated at a lower rpm while maintaining a high rpm on the generator pulley, extending an operational time of the engine and producing a minimal 1600 watts at 60 Hz of electrical supply for the operation of a primary electrical device and an additional 2400 watts of electrical auxiliary power supply to supplemental secondary electrical outlets.
 2. The portable electrical generating power plant as disclosed in claim 1, said engine further comprising: a four stroke, 0.7 liter, 3 cylinder diesel engine having a compact and light-weight profile meeting or exceeding the requirements for off-highway emissions legislation for Stage IIIB (EU), Tier 4 Interim (US) and MLIT Step 4 (Japan) with a fuel efficiency of 0.24±0.05 gallons/hour with a run time on a full tank of 52 gallons of fuel at approximately 216 hours, ideally suited for remote location or for use in harsh environments where minimal service requirements are preferred or available and providing said power plant for suitable use as a source of electrical power for light towers, welding machinery, air compressors, or remote residential and commercial use where there is no alternative electrical power supply available and long term use is intended.
 3. The belt drive and pulley system as disclosed in claim 1, further comprising: said generator pulley and said engine pulley are solidly and rotationally secured in relation to each other upon a common housing mounting plate, with said additional tensioner and idler pulley attached to said housing mounting plate to keep said drive belt turning on a fixed and aligned common rotational plane with said tensioner and idler pulley defining a smooth outer surface applying a constant force to said belt in order to maintain said belt on said other pulleys, wherein said belt drive and pulley system, by being rotationally mounted upon said common housing mounting plate dampens vibrational forces, allowing said belt to turn and rotate at high speed without lateral forces and with less overall frictional stress, thus prolonging the life of said belt, maintaining an improve constant tension on said belt for better contact with said respective pulleys and reducing frictional heat applied to said belt, preserving the integrity of said belt.
 4. The belt drive and pulley system as disclosed in claim 1, further comprising: said engine pulley is directly driven by said engine, said engine pulley defining an eight inch diameter, an inner raised belt keeper, an outer raised belt keeper, and a pulley surface having a plurality of upward extending ridges; said generator pulley is attached to said generator and defining a 3 inch diameter, an inner raised belt keeper, an outer raised belt keeper and a pulley surface having a plurality of upward extending ridges with said orientation and mounting of said three pulleys with said upward extending ridges of said engine and generator pulleys mated with said inner surface of the belt while said belt keepers maintain said belt on said pulleys.
 5. The electrical generator as disclosed in claim 1, further defining a brushless 4000-6000 watt two bearing generator with a capacitor, copper windings and providing bi-directional rotation at up to 3600 rpm to maintain 60 Hz, and mounting directly to a housing mounting plate mounted solidly to said engine to maintain said engine pulley and said generator pulley alignment.
 6. The belt drive and pulley system as disclosed in claim 1, generate the at least 1600 watts at 60 Hz of primary power and provide a residual 1600 watts of secondary power by use of said engine pulley with a diameter of eight inches, said generator pulley with a diameter of three inches and said engine operating at 1350 rpm.
 7. The belt drive and pulley system as disclosed in claim 1, generate the at least 1600 watts at 60 Hz of primary power and provide a residual 1600 watts of secondary power by use of said engine pulley with a diameter of eight inches, said generator pulley with a diameter of 3.3 inches and said engine operating at 1500 rpm.
 8. The belt drive and pulley system as disclosed in claim 1, generate the at least 1600 watts at 60 Hz of primary power and provide a residual 1600 watts of secondary power by use of said engine pulley with a diameter of eight inches, said generator pulley with a diameter of 3.55 inches and said engine operating at 1600 rpm.
 9. The belt drive and pulley system as disclosed in claim 1, generate the at least 1600 watts at 60 Hz of primary power and provide a residual 1600 watts of secondary power by use of said engine pulley with a diameter of eight inches, said generator pulley with a diameter of 3.77 inches and said engine operating at 1700 rpm.
 10. The belt drive and pulley system as disclosed in claim 1, generate the at least 1600 watts at 60 Hz of primary power and provide a residual 1600 watts of secondary power by use of said engine pulley with a diameter of eight inches, said generator pulley with a diameter of four inches and said engine operating at 1800 rpm.
 11. The engine coolant system as disclosed in claim 1, further comprising an engine driven OEM mechanical fan integrated within said belt drive and pulley system for use in non-arctic environments.
 12. The engine coolant system as disclosed in claim 1, further comprising an engine driven OEM mechanical fan operated by a minimal amount of the overall electrical current generated by said power plant for use in non-arctic environments.
 13. The engine coolant system as disclosed in claim 1, further comprising a thermostatically controlled radiator fan allowing said engine to reach operational temperature in less time than with a mechanical fan and allowing said engine to maintain operational temperature even under a light or variable load, and by maintaining a constant temperature resulting in improved fuel efficiency due to a more complete burning of fuel. 